Ammonium Lactate ●
TL;DR. This ingredient primarily functions as a humectant and keratolytic, helping bind water while softening rough, thickened surface cells. It is most common in leave-on lotions and creams for dry, bumpy, or scaly skin.
What does Ammonium Lactate do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient primarily functions as a humectant and keratolytic, helping bind water while softening rough, thickened surface cells. It is most common in leave-on lotions and creams for dry, bumpy, or scaly skin.
Is Ammonium Lactate clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally accepted and not a common allergen, but it can sting or irritate at higher levels, especially on sensitive or compromised skin. Some standards treat this class with use-level and labeling caution because it behaves like a mild alpha-hydroxy acid system.
Is Ammonium Lactate sustainable?
This material is commonly made from a fermentation-derived organic acid that is neutralized in water, so its sourcing can be partly renewable. It is water-soluble and readily biodegradable, with low concern for environmental persistence.
Is Ammonium Lactate COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when the feedstock and processing route meet the standard, usually through fermentation-based production and simple neutralization. Its Green Chemistry profile is fairly strong because it can use renewable inputs, aqueous processing, and biodegrades readily.
How does Ammonium Lactate work chemically?
The molecule is an ionic, water-soluble salt of a three-carbon alpha-hydroxy carboxylic acid, often used around 2 to 12% in leave-on body products, with 12% common in therapeutic dry-skin lotions. It is stable in water across mildly acidic to neutral pH ranges, adds electrolyte to formulas, and can feel more active as the free-acid fraction increases at lower pH.
Last updated 2026-05-13